Work Flexibility, Grit, and Job Satisfaction Among Women in the Formal Sector in Central Java: The Mediating Role of Work-Life Balance

This study examines work-life balance as a mediator in the relationship between work flexibility, grit, and job satisfaction among women working in the formal sector. The study aims to empirically test a structural model investigating how work flexibility and grit influence job satisfaction through the mediating role of work-life balance. Using a non-probability convenience sampling approach, data were collected from 310 women employed in the government and banking sectors in Central Java, Indonesia. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using SmartPLS 4 was applied to analyze the hypothesized relationships. The results indicate that work flexibility (β = 0.394, p < 0.001) and grit (β = 0.457, p < 0.001) significantly predict work-life balance, which in turn positively influences job satisfaction (β = 0.210, p < 0.01). The model explains 34.5% of the variance in job satisfaction (R² = 0.345) and demonstrates adequate predictive relevance (Q² = 0.303). Work-life balance mediates the relationship between work flexibility and job satisfaction (indirect effect: β = 0.083, p < 0.05) and partially mediates the relationship between grit and job satisfaction (indirect effect: β = 0.096, p < 0.01). These findings highlight the importance of organizational flexibility policies and individual grit in enhancing women's workplace well-being through improved work-life balance.